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Topic: 65 GT Conv. not finished (Read 1687 times)

It's been 3 1/2 years since sent mustang out for restoration. We have been hoping to have enjoyed it by now, but no such luck. I was hoping to use this site often during restoration because there is always a lot of great info. I gave the job to Mike who I have known for a long time before the start of this. I believed he would have done an excellent job. Still do, but he just won't work on it, or very little at a time. I did give him a large amount of $$before the start. The mustang is painted, except for engine compartment and undercarriage. About 3 months ago he said that would be done in a few days. (no such luck) Now he has informed me he has a foot injurythat would delay things even longer. So I told him I'll just come get it and bring it home. Now I have to figure out how to go about it, then find someone to finish it locally. The Mustang is in Ky. I now live in SCMike had started a youtube video in the beginning . (Sunrise automotive Mike Lang).I'm sure there is a lot of stories of shops not finishing what they started. This happens to be one of them.Tom

We all hate seeing something like this...........BUT MOST of us have experianced such things. (But in my case it was 22 years ago)! Since then I do all of my work. Sure I have found a few good painters, was telling a friend today that Tim picked up the shell of the SCJ the week before THanksgiving (2005) and delivered it painted on Jan 2nd.

PESONALLY I prefer to reassemble cars myself! YOU will put the time and effort into the build quality WITHOUT cutting corners OR using wrong fasteners or finishes ! (not all shops will)

It looks like you have many of the pieces to the puzzle! That is a great starting point. Assmebly takes an "area', that you can lay out items, collect the sub assembly parts and triage so you can move forward. I do my assembly in my "clean" garage, away from paint, sandblasters and DIRT. You also need the seperation so you can clean, use chemicals and paint.

PERSONALLY I don't know that I could "pay" someone to do work ! I do a car a year. Ususally, stick to MY AREA of comfort on projects. I don't buy cars that need welding, I don't buy cars that don't come with all the parts. That way you don't have to use reproduction parts at all (except headliners and carpets-though I've tried to use 45 year old carpets). My guess is this is "your car", and you are going through this so YOU can enjoy it. (like all should) !

I did a reassembly of a 1967 Triumph (from boxes for 18 years) in 2004 with my 11 year old daughter! She asked "when are you going to put the red car together?" I said, you want to put it together with me? Tell you what - you come to me every day after school (as long as you don't have homework) and we will but ONE part on the car. 6 months later we recieved first place at an all British show.

Good luck moving forward,Mark

P.S. Consider a Photo restoration on the forum or Facebook ! It will motivate you to do work, post photos and keep at it !! There is a Saab collector that has a big collection and his rule is "I work on my cars ONE HOUR a day!" (no more no less) Once you start doing that you are looking for the time to work !

I brought home my mustang last Friday. Now the puzzle begins?? Where to start? I'm going to try to do a lot myself, with this forum and youtube should be able handle some of it. DP 90 seems to be the way to go for engine compartment and also undercarriage?? Tom

Then black (or most likely a very dark batch color) would not have been the original finish on the undercarriage from the firewall rearward. Did you get a look at what was originally there? If not maybe, if you provide when the car was built at Dearborn we can figure out at least what other cars from about that time had and you can start there.

Yea allot of people plant and did paint the rearwheel wells black over the years. Ford didn't think than was necessary and stopped the black out at the front and rear edge of the wheel well and pinch weld locations

Instead of DPLF products what would you do, I'll be doing this in my garage.

Invite you to read the half dozen or more of the threads focusing on just that question. Allot depends on what you can buy, what you can legally use in your location and so on. Last car I used Hot Rod black a product that is legal in most if not all of the states. A little soft IMHO but touches up with ease if you screw up and chip or scratch it during installation of paints. Others have what has worked for them

Moved the topic since its getting past the met and greet stage of discussion

The car is from Dearborn plant, the rear wheel well he painted black Instead of DPLF products what would you do, I'll be doing this in my garage.

Since yours is a batch I would match what you find. Many paint shops will come out with a camera that they can shot a cleaned nice area and the machine will produce a formula for what ever brand they use that will closely (most of the time) match the original color. Have a little mixed and shot a test panel and compare under different lights and angles. Check the from frame area to see if a different product or color was used from the firewall forward.

For the red oxide colored floors DPLF is a good place to start mixing from IMHO.

We've covered this many times especially with Dearborn cars but also for San Jose during some year/periods. Though they appear to be black they normally turn out to be a very dark batch on the floors. Normally shows up when you place a fresh test panel of black next to the floor color and compare. Know there is at least one thread where I did that on a car that the owner claimed was "black" Not far off but noticeable in comparison

Thanks Jeff for info, since this car was media blasted there is no trying to match anything except for previous pictures before blasted. This car was a untouched mustang (it did have 1 lousy repaint 30yrs ago, I bought this car from original owner) until I decided to do this. The undercarriage was a black or dark gray? but after 50+yrs it was hard to tell. After seam sealing the engine bay etc. I painted the engine bay with PPG DP90LF using a PPG catalyst DP402LF Tom I liked the way it turned out.